13 Women Break Barriers in FIA WEC History – KEIKO IHARA Led the Charge

September 23, 2025

by Graham Goodwin // from www.dailysportscar.com

• KEIKO IHARA blazed the trail as the first woman to race in FIA WEC, opening doors for 12 others who’ve followed. The list reads like a who’s who of international motorsport talent: DORIANE PIN, RAHEL FREY, SARAH BOVY, MICHELLE GATTING, MANUELA GOSTNER, CELIA MARTIN, SOPHIA FLOERSCH, TATIANA CALDERON, INÈS TAITTINGER, CHRISTINA NIELSEN, BEITSKE VISSER, JAMIE CHADWICK, and LILOU WADOUX.
• While celebrating 100 WEC races, this statistic tells us everything about how slowly progress moves – 13 women out of hundreds of drivers across a decade-plus championship. But these names represent serious racing credentials, from F1 test drivers to championship winners across multiple series, proving they earned their seats through talent, not tokenism.
• The timing couldn’t be better for highlighting these pioneers as WEC enters its most diverse era. With Hypercar and LMGT3 providing more opportunities and the championship expanding globally, we’re positioned to see this number grow significantly. These 13 women didn’t just participate – they laid groundwork for the next generation to not just compete, but to win.

24 hours of le mans, fia world endurance championship, hypercar, lmgt3